Norden‘s Adjacent Area as a bridge to the Caucasus

11.10.2001

At the end of November the city of Riga in Latvia will literally become a bridge between the Nordic countries modern industrial foods and Eastern Europes traditional but health-giving foods. Such Eastern foods are kefir from the Caucasus and sourkraut common in all of Eastern Europe. In fact, it was scientists from the Caucasus at the beginning of the 20th Century who first investigated the life-prolonging effects of these foods on man and animals and who first investigated the bacteria re-sponsible for the remarkable effect.

At the end of November the city of Riga in Latvia will literally become a bridge between the Nordic countries modern industrial foods and Eastern Europes traditional but health-giving foods. Such Eastern foods are kefir from the Caucasus and sourkraut common in all of Eastern Europe. In fact, it was scientists from the Caucasus at the beginning of the 20th Century who first investigated the life-prolonging effects of these foods on man and animals and who first investigated the bacteria re-sponsible for the remarkable effect.

The Nordic Industrial Funds project NORDLACTNET, Network for Metabolites from the Lactic Acid Bacteria, has focused on these bacteria. The network has found barriers within the Nordic countries to the development and marketing of foods that contain these harmless but effective bacteria. Therefore, November 25 - 28 in Riga, NORDLACTNET will collect scientists from the Nordic countries and from Eastern Europe to identify ways of overcoming barriers to the use of these bacteria in foods and feed. If possible, a Nordic consensus will also be drawn up on how to promote these products. For more information including program and registration, see http://nordlactnet.nordicinnovation.net.